Jake Paul Won’t Be Charged After Filming Mall Looting

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 22: Jake Paul attends Logan Paul Workout Showcase at Wild Card Boxing Club on October 22, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona has decided not to charge YouTuber Jake Paul, who is known for his viral pranks, for filming a mall looting in the state.

The incident occurred during a protest at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement which came in the wake of George Floyd‘s death. Paul, who has 20 million subscribers, was being investigated for his alleged participation in the Arizona mall looting. The investigation commenced a couple of months later with the police stating that the 24-year-old participated in the unrest.

In August 2020, the FBI began looking into the allegations of Paul’s possible criminal activity at the Scottsdale Fashion Square. They searched his mansion outside of Los Angeles as a part of their investigation.

His misdemeanor charges were dismissed first. Then the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona made a statement concerning federal charges. “Based upon the investigation and evidence available at this time, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is not pursuing federal charges against Jake Paul for his conduct,” the office said in a statement.

Paul, for his part, denied all allegations of criminal acts and maintained that he was merely documenting the looting, not actively participating in it.